Explosive-engine.



W. P. PEMBROKE.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1909.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Flvwmon witnesses W. P. PEMBROKE.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12,

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses l l ll llll H lllllllllll,

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH L9 lllllllwm l wfi lwllllii Inu- Z IIIII 'lilllllllllllll IIIIIIIE llllil llilllmi lllllllllll l g llllllllll TEE Iil WINFIELD P.. PEMBROKE, or ROCHESTEIQ. NEW YORK.

ExPLosIvE-ENGINE.

To all whom-it may concern:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 12, 1909.

Be it known that I, IYINFIEIQD I. PEM-l BROKE, of Rochester, in the-county of Mon-j roe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive-Engines; and I do. hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact. description'of the's'ame, reference being had to-the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the re er- =ence-numerals marked thereon.

' My'present invention relates to gas or, explosive engines and 1t has for its ob]ect to provide such a motor'which may be operated either on the principle of a four-cycle:

or a two-cycle engine, int-he sense in which this term is'employed in this art, at the will of the operator and which is capable of being converted during its operation from one type o-fengine to the other.

To these and other ends the invention consists in'certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at. the end of the specification;

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a multicylindcr engine illustrating one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, and Fig.3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 3-3" of Fig. 2. Fig; 4 isa similar view v on the 'line i -st" of the same figure. Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

- It is a well known fact that both. the four-cycle engine and the two-cycle.engine possess distinctive advantages and it is the object of'my present invention to provide a motor which may be alternately operated as an engine of either. class, thus permitting thedesirable qualities of each'to be brought into play at such times as theymay be most eilective.

In illustrating my invention I have shown a nnilticylinder'engine comprising the cylinders 1 and 2 mounted ,upon the hollow crank case 3 with which their lower ends communicate, said case-being, divided by a transverse partition 41- into separate chambers into which the explosive mixture is introduced through intakes or feed pipes, such as 5 leading from a suitable carburetor. Each cylinder is provided with the usual piston 6 and these are each connected Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

Serial No. 512,619.

I by a piston rod '7 with the wrist pin 8 of th'e'respective cranks 9, on the driving shaft '10, which is supported in suitable bearings and at one end is provided with the fly wheel '11." The cylinders are also provided with the-exhaust ports 12' which open outwardly'from the'cylinders at points above the pistons, when the latter reach the limit of their out-ward movement. Intake passages 13 arealsolprovided in the cylinder i walls, their upper ends 14 entering the sides of llICCyllIIdGIS opposite the exhaust ports inproximity to the walls or baffling plates 15 on the ends of the pistons, While" their lower ends,'indicated by 16, communicate with the lower ends of the cylinders beneath the piston heads and thus when the latter are retracted open communication from the crank case chambers to the interior of the cylinders above the piston heads. At a suit-able point between the ends of the in take channels 13, the walls of the cylinders are enlarged,- as indicated at'17, and formed therein are cylindrical recesses Within each of which is contained a rotary valve head 18, these heads in the different cylinders being mounted on a rotary shaft 19, which is driven in timed relation to the rotary movementof the crank shaft, so that at predetermined intervals, the intake channel 13 will be closed.

The means'I have shown for accomplishing the lastrmcntioned object, comprises'a double set of driving connections or operating devices arranged betweenthe valve shaft '19 and the driving shaft 10 which arealternately brought into play when the motor is being operated as a two-cycle or fourcycle engine. As a simple form of operating connections I have shown sets of gears which may alternately be brought into play, those comprising the two-cycle set consisting of the'g'ear wheel 20, an idler 21, journaled on a stud shaft 22, and the gear wheel 23 attached to the driving shaft 10. 'The four-cycle set comprises the gear wheel 24-. and the pinion 25, which is connected by the sleeve 26to the gear wheel 21 which is constantly rotated by the gear wheel 23. The first mentioned set of gears 20, 21 and 23 are so proportioned that the valve shaft 19 will be rotated one complete revolution for each revolution of the driving-shaft to attain the object of positioning the valves 18, as shown in the sectional view Fig. 3,

of the shaft 19' occurs only once for each tworevolutions of the driving shaft 10.

The gear wheels 20 and 24 are journaled loosely on the shaft 19 and km their proximate faces are provided clutch teeth which cotiperate with corresponding projections {or teeth on'the ends of a clutch sleeve 27 which is keyed to the shaft 19 and may be adjusted longitudinally to alternately engage with one or the other of said gear wheels. I gear wheel 20 is provided with a single clutch tooth 28 with which cooperates the.

corresponding single tooth 29 on the adjacent end ofthe clutch sleeve, this arrangement of the single teeth being provided to insure the proper positioning of the shaft 19 when the engine s working on the two-'- cycle principle so" that the valves on such shaft will always be in a proper position in relation to the movement of the pistons in- It will be noted that the various cylinders. when the engine is operated on the fourcycle principle the shaft 19 only makes one complete revolution for each two revolutions of the driving shaft audit is for this reason that the gear'wheel 24 is provided with twoclutch teeth. 30 (only one of which is shown) and the engaging face of the clutch sleeve is provided with dual cooperating projections or teeth 31. This arrangement of the single cooperating teeth on the .gear wheel 20 and one end of the clutch sleeve and the double provision of clutch teeth on the gear wheel 24 and the other end of the sleeve insures thepr-oper positioning of the valves 18 in respect to the pistons irrespective of what point in the stroke of the pistons the clutch sleeve may be thrown from engagement with one gear wheel into engagement with the other. stantly rotating in the same direction and when adjustment of the sleeve takes place themomentum of the valve shaft 19 merely decreases slightly, during a partial revolution, until the tooth, or teeth, of the operating gear wheel engages those of the sleeve.

The cylinders are closed at their upper ends by the usual heads 32 and in each of these is arranged the exhaust passage 33 normally closed by a puppet valve 34 which is adapted to be opened inwardly and is supported on the valve stem 35. The latter is, normally elevated by a spring 36 to hold the valve against its seat to close the exhaust passage. The valves 34 are inactive when the engine is operating on the two-cycle plan, but they are brought into action when the engine is o erating on the four-cycle principle by timing connections actuated periodically with reference to the movement of The Both gear wheels are con the piston heads'6 These operating connectlons are so arranged that they may be thrown into and. out of action at the will of the operator when he desiresto convert the engine from one type to another. As one means of controllingthe valves .34 I have shown levers .37 journaledat 38 on the upper ends of guide members 39 which are supported for vertical movement in tubular columns 40 rigidly secured to the cylinder heads 32. Each of the members 39 is moved upwardlyor projected by 'means of a spring 41 bearing against its lower end, its movement being limited by a laterally projecting pin or. projection 42 which extends outwardly through an-elongated slot or aperture in the column and supports an anti-friction roller 43 with which-cooperates the inclined or cam surface 44 on a longitudinally movable controlling bar 45, heldin -place beneath a strap or guide block 46. The

upperedge of the bar engages a shoulder 47 on thecolumn, preventing its upward movement, but when the bar is shifted the cam surface 44 thereon engaging the roller 42 will cause the guide member '39 to be depressed against the tension of the spring 41 to position the pivot of the valve operating. lever 37 in such position that when the lever is rocked in'one direction the valve34 will be opened. When the engine comprises a plurality of cylinders, the controlling bar 45 extends over the top of each of'them and is similarly guided on each of the columns and provided with camsurfaces which simultaneously depress and release each of the several guide members, as will be undercation of the pistons. The cams 51, of

course, bear certain relative positions in respect to the valve 18 and are rotating constantly causing the rods 48 to reciprocate,

but as the valve operating levers 37 are elevated when the-engine is operating as a twocycle engine, the valves 34 remain closed.

As it is essential that the exhaust valves in the cylinder heads be brought into operation whenever the engine is converted into the four-cycle type and likewise, thrown out of of operation when it is operating as a twocycle motor, provision ismade for shiftingthe controlling bar 45 simultaneously with the movement of the clutch sleeve 27 from engagement with one of the gear Wheels 20 or 24 into engagement with the other. As one meansof accomplishing this object in a simple manner,I have shown a lever 52 Whichrmay be pivoted on a bracket ,53 and provided, at its lower'end with a pin 54 resting in the annular channel of said sleeve, the lever at its upper end being provided with an elongated slot receiving the-pin 55 on the bar 45. I I

The engine cylinders and their heads may be provided with the usual means for coolng them, such as the water jackets shown and they are also provided with a suitable igniting device, such as a sparking plug 56.

In Fig. 1 of the drawingsthe clutch sleeve 27 is shown inengagement with the gear wheel 24 and the controlling bar 45thr'ust forwardly causing the depression of ,the members 39, this being the position the parts assume when the engine is operating on the principle of a four-cycle motor. The gear wheel 24, it will be remembered, is rotated one revolution for each two complete revolut1on s of the driving shaft 10, and in Fig. 3 the piston head 6 of one of the cylinders is shown retracted, and the valve 18 in posi tion opening the channel 13. This is the intake stroke, the carbureted mixture being permitted to pass from the crankchamber, where it is under compression, into the cyllnder, The upward movement of the piston and the piston head closes the ports 14 and 12 compressing the explosive mixture in the top of the cylinder until it is ignited when 1ts force drives the piston downwardly when it again uncovers the ports 12 and14. During this stroke the intake passage 13 is closed by the rotation of the valve 18 and as the piston head begins to rise, the valve head 34 is opened by means of thecam 51 permitting the exhaust gases to find exit through the passage 33. Upon the next reciprocation of the piston head the valve 34 is closed and the rotary valve 18 again brought into the position shown in Fig. 3, permitting another charge-of explosive mixture to pass into the cylinder.

The operator desiring to convert the engine into a two-cycle motor shifts the lever 52, disconnecting'the clutch/from the gear wheel 24, and throwing it into engagement with the gear wheel 20, and as this movement retracts the controlling bar 45, the members 39 supporting the levers 37 are released and projected upwardly by the spr1ngs 41 carrying the levers out of operative engagement with the valve stems 35.

Now, the gear wheel 20 is rotated in unison with the driving shaft and upon each rotation of the latter the valve head 18 opens the intake passage 13, as shown in Fig. 3, permitting the carbureted gases to rush into the cylinder upon each outward movement of the piston head, where they are deflected upwardly by the bafliing plate 15 to displace the previously exploded charge which is driven outwardly through the exhaust passage 12, causing the scavenging of the motor to occur at precise intervals in the cycle of its operation.

A motor embodying my invention comtor, at such times as the maximum powermay be required, also I can cause the engine to operate as a four-cycle motor when it is desired to obtain a high speed of rotation of the driving shaft with the flexibility of control possessed in such a motor, especially when constructed with a plurality of cylinders.

' I claim as my invention:

1. In an explosive engine, the combination with a cylinder having an inlet and an exhaust port, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder and Ya driving shaft connected thereto, of a valve controlling the inlet port, a supplemental exhaust port and a valve normally closing it, of means for opening and closing the inlet and exhaust valves, two sets of driving connections, one foractuating the valve operating means to open and close said .valves upon every reciprocation of the piston, the other for actuating the valve operating means to open and close said valves upon alternate reciprocations of the piston, and means for alternately connecting said driving connections with the driving shaft. 7 r

i 2. In an explosive engine, the combination with a cylinder having an inlet and anexhau-st port communicating therewith near its lower end, a piston reciprocating in the cylinder and alternately opening and closing said ports, of an auxiliary exhaust port, a

valve for closin it and a valve for controlling the in at port, devices operating said valves to. open and close the inlet and auxiliary exhaust ports, a valve operating mechanism for actuating said devices upon each reciprocation of the piston, a similar mechanism for actuating said valve operating devices upon alternate reciprocations of the piston, means for alternately connecting said mechanisms with the driving shaft and means for throwing the exhaust valve out of action during the time the inlet valve is being operated by one of said mechanisms.

3. In atwo cycle explosive engine comprising a cylinder having a piston and a crank shaft connected thereto and provided 'with inlet and exhaust ports which are opened and closed by the piston, an exhaust port at the outer end of the cylinder and a valve controlling it, a separate valve con-- trolling the inlet passage, means for o ening and closing said valves,two sets of riving closing it, a separate valve for controlling theinlet port and means for opening and closing said valves, two sets ofdriving devices each adapted to independently operate said valve opening and closing means to actuate the valves relatively to the movement'of the piston and at different cycles,

' and a member for efi'ecting a driving connection between either of the driving devices and valve opening and closlng means.

5. In an explosive engine, the comblnation with a connected cylinder and crank case, a piston, a crank shaft connected thereto, said cylinder being provided with an inlet port leading thereinto from the crank case and an exhaust port leading from the cylinder both arranged to be controlled by the movement of the piston, of an auxiliary exhaust port leading from the cylinder having a valve normally closing it, a 'movable valve arranged in the-inlet port, means for opening and closing said valves, two-cycle.

driving devices for actuatingsa'id means to open said inlet port upon each reciprocation of the piston, four-cycle driving devices for actuating said'means to open said inlet ort and auxiliary exhaust port valve upon afternate reciprocations of the piston, means for alternately, connecting said two and fourcycle driving devices with the means for opening and closing said valves, and a controlling member for rendering the exhaust port valve'either effective or ineflect-ive.

6. In an explosive engine, the combination with a cylinder having inlet and exhaust ports and provided with'a piston and crank shaft, of an auxiliary exhaust port in the cylinder, a valve normally closing it and a valve controllingithe inlet port, a shaft connected to the inlet valve, two sets of driving devices between the valve shaft and driving shaft, one for causing the o ening of the valve upon each rotation o the driving shaft and the other for causing it to be opened upon alternate rotations of said shaft, a clutch cooperating with said sets of ,driving devices connecting one or the other of them to the va'lve'shaft, devices actuated by the latter for opening the auxiliary exhaust valve port and means for rendering said devices inefiective when the valve shaft is operated by one ofsaid sets .of driving devices;

ating said shaft to open and close its valve at diiferent times relatively to the'reciprocation of the piston in the cylinder, of devices driven-by the valve shaft for actuating the exhaust valve, means for alternatively connecting either of said sets of driving connections to the'valve shaft, and cooperating controlling mechanism for rendering the exhaust valve actuating devicesoperative in respect .to one set and inoperative in respect tothe other set of the inlet valve driving devices. i

8. 'In' an explosive engine, the combination with a cylinder. havinga piston and a crank shaft connected thereto, said cylinder being provided with an inlet port and main and auxiliary exhaust ports, a valve controlling the auxiliary exhaust port and a separate valve controlling the inlet port, a shaft for operating the inlet valve and two driving wheels loosely mounted on the valve shaft and operatively connected with the crank shaft, and mechanism for actuatin the auxiliary exhaust valve, of a clutch member on the valve shaft adjustableinto engagement with either of said driving wheels, a shiftable controllin ,member for rendering the exhaust "va ve. actuating mechanism alternately operative and inoperative and connections between said'mem her and the clutch. r

9. In an explosive engine, the combina tion with atcylinder, havlng a piston. and a crank shaft and provided with an inlet port and main and auxiliary, exhaust ports, of valves controlling the inlet and auxiliary exhaust ports, a shaft on the inlet valve and double sets of driving connections between the crank shaft and valve shaft each including a member journaledon the valve shaft, a lever for operating the exhaust valve, means for rocking it, a controlling member for adjusting said lever into and out of operativeengagement with the valve, a clutch member on the valve shaft cooperating alternatively with either of the driving members thereonand operating connections between the clutch and controlling member.

10. In an explosive engine, the combination with a cylinder having a piston and a crank shaft and providedwith an inlet port and main and auxiliary exhaust ports, of valves controlling the inlet and auxiliary exhaust ports, a shaft on the inlet valve and double sets of driving connections between the crank shaft and valve shaft each including a member journaled on the valve shaft, a pivoted lever for operating the exhaust valve, means for rocking the lever, an adjustable guide block supporting said lever, a controlling member cooperating with the block to position the lever in respect to the exhaust valve and an adjustable member forming an operating connection between the inlet valve shaft and the separate driv ing members thereon.

11. In, an explosive engine, the combination with a cylinder having a piston and a crank shaft and provided with an inlet port and main and auxiliary exhaust ports, of valves controlliu the inlet andauxiliary exhaust ports, a siaft on the inlet valve and double sets of driving connections for effecting two cycle and four cycle operation of the engine and arranged between the crank shaft and valve shaft each including a member journaled on the valve shaft, a pivoted lever for operating the exhaust valve, amovable guide block sup orting the lever, a cam on the valve shaft and a rod operated thereby and cooperating with the lever, a controlling ling member member for adjusting the guide block to move the lever into and out of operative position in respect to the valve and means for locking one or the other of the driving devices to the valve shaft.

12. In an explosive engine, the combination with a cylinder, having. a piston and a crank shaft and provided with an inlet port and main and auxiliary exhaust ports, of

valves controlling the inlet and auxiliary exhaust ports, a shaft on the inlet valve and double sets of driving connections for effecting two cycle and four cycle operation of the engine and arranged between the crank shaft and valve shaft each including a member journaled on the valve shaft, a clutch member adapted to alternatively lock either of said driving members to the valve shaft, a cam on the latter, a tappet rod reciprocated by the latter. and a lever operated thereby and adapted to cooperate with the auxiliary exhaust valve, an adjustable bearing member supporting the lever, a controlcooperating with said bearing member to adjust the lever relatively to the valve and a shifting member connecting the clutch and controlling member for simultaneous operation.

WINFIELD P. PEMBROKE.

Witnesses.

RUssELL B. GRIFFITH, HAROLD H. SIMMS. 

